What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Helicopter encountered a high speed vibration, pilot initiated emergency procedures, aircraft rolled and crashed. (.4)the helicopter was in route to south marsh 243C in the gulf of Mexico from Morgan City, Louisiana. Approximately 5 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of 500 feet AGL, 'a loud continuous, chattering and violent vibration started without warning.' During the emergency landing to a canal, about 50 feet above the trees, the vibration totally ceased; however, the helicopter began turning to the right. At this time the pilot initiated an autorotation and deployed the floats. The helicopter touched down on the water in a level attitude at 20 to 25 mph, and the helicopter came to rest on its side. One tail rotor blade was sheared from the leading edge to the trailing edge at the outboard end. Scanning of the sheared area by energy dispersive x-ray analysis (edxa) revealed elements of lead and chromium in one area, and titanium, iron, nickel and chromium in another area. Examination of the area which contained the elements of lead and chromium with an optical microscope at 60X magnification, revealed particles of red paint with in this area. The object that struck the tail rotor blade could not be determined. (-23) on September 13, 1996, at 0710 CDT, a Bell model 206L-1, helicopter, N2654, registered to and operated by mobil business resources corporation, experienced an unusual vibration while in cruise flight. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the emergency landing on a waterway. The airline transport pilot-rated pilot and four passengers were not injured. One passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight had originated from mobil's helipad in Morgan City, Louisiana (5LA2).
As the FAA filed it
HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED A HIGH SPEED VIBRATION, PILOT INITIATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AIRCRAFT ROLLED AND CRASHED. (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS IN ROUTE TO SOUTH MARSH 243C IN THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET AGL, 'A LOUD CONTINUOUS, CHATTERING AND VIOLENT VIBRATION STARTED WITHOUT WARNING.' DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING TO A CANAL, ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE TREES, THE VIBRATION TOTALLY CEASED; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION AND DEPLOYED THE FLOATS. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WATER IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AT 20 TO 25 MPH, AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE. ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE WAS SHEARED FROM THE LEADING EDGE TO THE TRAILING EDGE AT THE OUTBOARD END. SCANNING OF THE SHEARED AREA BY ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY ANALYSIS (EDXA) REVEALED ELEMENTS OF LEAD AND CHROMIUM IN ONE AREA, AND TITANIUM, IRON, NICKEL AND CHROMIUM IN ANOTHER AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE AREA WHICH CONTAINED THE ELEMENTS OF LEAD AND CHROMIUM WITH AN OPTICAL MICROSCOPE AT 60X MAGNIFICATION, REVEALED PARTICLES OF RED PAINT WITH IN THIS AREA. THE OBJECT THAT STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1996, AT 0710 CDT, A BELL MODEL 206L-1, HELICOPTER, N2654, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY MOBIL BUSINESS RESOURCES CORPORATION, EXPERIENCED AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING ON A WATERWAY. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT-RATED PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM MOBIL'S HELIPAD IN MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA (5LA2).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.